CEBIT: New D-Link products aim for higher frequency

Wireless N Access Point and Quadband Wireless N Router, which both transmit at 5GHz, are the latest additions to D-Link's family of 802.11n products, announced at the CeBIT trade show.

802.11n is still under development, but if everything goes as planned, it will be ratified by the end of the year or early in 2009. The biggest benefit will be more bandwidth, over 100M bps (bits per second).

Today, almost all wireless products transmit at 2.4GHz. That frequency is used by a range of devices, including Bluetooth and walkie-talkies, which impairs performance. Using 5GHz will improve both stability and scalability, according to D-Link.

The first of the two products, Wireless N Access Point (or DAP-2553), was developed for the small office/home office market. It supports power over Ethernet, and can segment the network using multiple SSIDs (Service Set Identifiers).

The more interesting of the two products is the Quadband Wireless N Router -- or DIR-855. What sets the router apart is that it can handle 802.11n at both 2.4GHz and 5GHz simultaneously, while still supporting existing standards. The "Quad" moniker comes from the fact that it can do all this at once.

For instance, the 5GHz band could be used to distribute video while the user surfs the Internet over 2.4GHz, without the two uses affecting each other.

The router is also equipped with five Gigabit Ethernet ports and an OLED (organic light-emitting diode) network activity display. The router, which will ship in May, will cost US$377.

The screen was particularly good. It is bright and visible from most angles, however heat is an issue, particularly around the Windows button on the front, and on the back where the battery housing is located.

My first impression after unboxing the Q702 is that it is a nice looking unit. Styling is somewhat minimalist but very effective. The tablet part, once detached, has a nice weight, and no buttons or switches are located in awkward or intrusive positions.

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